Solution by SSI SCHAEFER

Material flow at CERP Rouen follows these steps:

The supplier‘s goods are delivered in cartons on stacked pallets. After unloading, the cartons are placed manually onto the conveying system that leads to the work stations in the goods-in area. Picking according to the goods-to-man principle is the basis of this retrofit.

Although CERP Rouen chose the automated S-Pemat system in 2000, the goal of the new project is to improve picking of items with a lower turnover rate. The Schaefer Carousel System (SCS) is thus used to replace a large part of the static racks. The combination of the SCS with the Pick to tote work station enables picking of more than 50 % of the items with medium or slow turnover rates.

After the orders are picked and before the goods are assigned to individual customers, the totes are conveyed to the picking stations in the shipping area. At the first picking station, where up to 1,800 totes per hour can be processed, the combined process of adding the address label and the lid is carried out. The next station ensures the totes are securely closed before delivery using a strapping process that hermetically seals the lid to the tote.

Customer orders are transported to the pharmacies via delivery truck and larger amounts of palletized goods are sent to CERP Rouen‘s subsidiaries at the same time.